From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgesticulateges‧tic‧u‧late /dʒeˈstɪkjəleɪt/ verb [intransitive] SIGN/GESTUREto make movements with your arms and hands, usually while speaking, because you are excited, angry, or cannot think of the right words to use SYN gesture Jane gesticulated wildly and shouted ‘Stop! Stop!’ —gesticulation /dʒeˌstɪkjəˈleɪʃən/ noun [countable, uncountable]→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
gesticulate• He was gesticulating and laughing, talking to some one.• After gesticulating at each other, they both fell silent and looked at their drinks.• Their whole way of speaking and gesticulating changed when they were by themselves.• When, in his most characteristic gesture, he presses a gesticulating finger to his forehead, his hand trembles.• As soon as he spotted her, he began gesticulating frantically.• Men, women and babies are detached in small groups or bunched together in fantastic clusters, gesticulating madly.• He mouthed and gesticulated - what did he mean?• Jane gesticulated wildly and shouted ``Stop! Stop!''• Last July, in peak form, pirouetting on his toes and gesticulating wildly, he was wickedly funny and amazingly indiscreet.Origin gesticulate (1600-1700) Latin past participle of gesticulari, from gestus; → GESTURE1 